


Resposibility

by Charles_clain



Category: Ghost Hunt
Genre: Cute, Dogs, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-26
Updated: 2019-04-26
Packaged: 2020-02-04 16:52:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,003
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18608623
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Charles_clain/pseuds/Charles_clain
Summary: Just a short fic about the twin's first dog.





	Resposibility

**Author's Note:**

  * For [beejinki](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=beejinki).



> This was written for the 2019 GH exchange, run by the ghosthunthq tumblr page. 
> 
> This is a gift for beejinki.tumblr.com

They were no older than ten when Gene snuck into Oliver's room and gently shook him awake.

"Noll, I've got something to show you" Gene could barely contain his excitement in his whisper.

His brother tried to shoo him away but Gene was far too insistent on whatever had him practically jumping on the bed with anticipation. Noll grumbled that if it was another lucky die in his collection he was going to jinx them all.

Gene pulled his brother to his bedroom and over to his half open closet, Noll could hear small movements in the dark. Gene knelt on the floor and called to whatever what hiding to come out into the room lit by moonlight.

From the darkness trotted a black Scottish terrier, covered in dirt and in need of a haircut.

"I'm calling her Beth" Gene spoke at full volume unable to contain his excitement, "like from that Scottish play you like"

Oliver shushed him to no wake up their parents, "you can't keep her, what happens when mom and dad find out?"

"They'll adopt her" Gene spoke with absolute certainty, "just like they did with us"

He knew he couldn't win this fight with his brother. He sighed dramatically, "alright, let's give her a bath, make sure she's clean. I'll grab some food from the fridge."

Noll snuck to the kitchen, avoiding spots in the floor where he knew it would make a loud creak. Stealing a container of leftover stew. 

On the trek back to the bathroom where Gene had the dog he nearly ran into his father walking to the kitchen. 

“What are you doing up this late,” he asked, eyes only half open. 

“Just a midnight snack” 

He sighed and walked past him, “I hope there's another container left”

Noll took his chance and ran to the bathroom where Gene was already soaping the dog. 

"Dad's awake" Noll shut the door and locked it, "she has to stay quiet or he'll know for sure"

"Don't worry, I just have to dry Beth off" the dog hopped out of the bath and shook the water off itself, soaking the twins.

Now that she was clean they could see that she was going grey a bit around the muzzle. Definitely not the young dog she once was, but still seemed full of energy.

The twins led Beth back to Gene's bedroom. Gene grabbed a bit of ribbon from a stuffed dog and tied around Beth's neck. He grabbed a dog tag key chain that Noll had given him. He wrote Beth on it with a sharpie and attached it to her collar.

Beth slept with Gene that night, curled up at his feet. 

The next morning Oliver helped to sneak Beth out of the house. They spent the whole day playing with her in the woods behind their home.

"So what are you going to do with her tomorrow," Noll asked.

"What do you mean" Beth slept in Gene's lap after running around with them all day. 

"Well we have school tomorrow, she can't come with us, and if you leave her in your room she's going to have to use the bathroom sometime."

"I'll just lay down some newspapers, that's what people on TV do all the time." 

Oliver sighed knowing he couldn't win this argument, "for your sake, I hope she doesn't start whining"

*****

When they go off the bus the next day both the twins ran to Gene's room to check on Beth only to find her gone. Her ribbon collar sitting on the dresser. 

Gene broke down into tears," how could they just get rid of her like that" 

Oliver decided to give Gene some space. He sat on the swing outside, barely moving. 

A couple of hours later their parent arrived home from work. Oliver went to greet them and tell them that Gene wasn't feeling well and probably wouldn't be there for dinner.

He helped his parents carry groceries into the house, as well as a bag of takeout for dinner. As he carried the last bag in his father asked him to go grab Gene. 

"Gene's not feeling well" Noll tried to pass it off as nothing terrible.

"I'm sure he is," his father stated, "but go grab him, we need to have a family talk."

He didn't like the sound of a family talk but went to get his brother anyways. It took several minutes of convincing before Oliver could get Gene out of bed.

In the dining room, their father was setting the table while their mother sat waiting for them.

"Sit down boys," she said and motioned towards the rest of the chairs. 

The boys took their seats without making eye contact.

"So we found something in your room today Gene," their father said, "A dog is a lot of responsibility for kids." He set a dish on the floor, "you have to remember to feed it," opened a cupboard and poured some dry food into it, "you have to clean up after it. Do you boys think you can remember to do those things."

Eugene was struck silent so Oliver responded, "I'm sure we can remember all that."

"Then here you go" their father opened the door to the screened porch and let in the small black dog with a shiny new collar.

Gene rushed over as she jumped on him to lick his face.

*****

Naru pulled himself from the memory as he stared in the window of the pet adoption center. Laying in a soft bed was a small black Scottish terrier puppy. 

He smiled at the thought of how happy Gene had been when he got Beth back. They had spent every day with her play in the backyard. She slept every night at the foot of one of their beds. They had her for another five years.

Naru sends Lin a quick text that he would be late getting in this morning. He takes one more look at the puppy before walking in.


End file.
